The sky was all dark and gloomy as I try to count the falling raindrops that ripple on the stocked water around my leather boots. I tighten my grip on my umbrella, oblivious of the linked hands passing before my reminiscing eyes. I wasn’t Ms. Popular, nor was I a head-turner that makes all men jump off their chairs when they see me coming. In fact, I have nothing that should be proud of, envied of. Nothing that must be praised by anyone. I was the typical addition in the flock of the losers, outcasts, the nobodies. But what happened to me this summer was indeed, splendid.Year-end was fast approaching. I was hoping that I can spend more time with my best friend, Ella since she has been very busy of her extracurricular activities. Student Council and Science Club President, major position in her other three organizations, a declaimer, singer, dancer and the class Valedictorian, a few words to define how remarkable her life is.

“I can’t just sit there and do nothing. I want adventure.” She’d always tell me.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when she told me she was going on a School-related Summer Camp.

“C’mon Hebe, you need to work those muscles. You can’t just stay home.”

“Sorry Ell, but I have a lot in hand this break.”

“Like what? Sleeping?” she mocked, more of an insult.

But still, my decision is final. I’m not going and nothing’s gonna make me.

“Aaron's gonna be there.”

My heart skipped a beat. Aaron? Aaron yan, the school’s basketball captain? What is he gonna do in a Science Summer Camp?

“S...So?!” I stuttered. “So what if he’s gonna be in that camp? As if, I care.” I rolled my eyes, emphasizing the last words.

Am I? Am I not really bothered? Do I really don’t care? It’s the best chance to get close to him after all. But what if he doesn’t feel the same way I do?

“No, Ell. I’m not going and that’s final.” Then I stamp my way back to my classroom, leaving a confused Ella at the corridor.

Next thing I knew, I was staring at the same person I was thinking about the whole time, Aaron.

“So this summer, the Taiwan Science Club Organization will hold their annual nation-wide summer Camp in Changzi. We are here to...” His lovely voice, fading gently in my ears as I look intently and straight at his stature as if nothing exists but him and me.

---

“Hey, how are you?” I called her up as I do every night since the first day of camping. I never gave her a hint of enthusiasm when it comes to things related to Aaron. Although deep inside, what I really wanted to talk about was everything regarding him.

“Hebe, if you were asking me then I’m fine. But if you were asking about Aaron, well, he is enjoying himself, a lot.”

“Yeah, right.” I sarcastically replied.

I heard her chuckle. Afterwards, she excused herself and cut the line shortly. She can’t talk to me the whole day because she was on camping. What was I thinking?

Then our routine went on the whole, almost a week camping of theirs. And each day I grew to like the man she tells me about, the man I never thought Aaron would be.

“He’s kind, sweet and a real gentleman. He even offered help to carry my luggage all the way to the girl’s room.” It must be hard for him since Ella is the type of girl who always needs an extra everything.

One morning, to my surprise, I’ve read a newly sent message from an unregistered number.

“Good morning.” It read.

I was so curious of who was that and where did he get my number but before I could even think of texting him back, my phone rung.

“Are you up?” A thrilled Ella greeted me.

“Yeah. Why?” Then she never stopped. Never stopped talking about Aaron, never stopped babbling about the things he does for her, about the things I wish it was I he was with.

I must not be threatened for she is my best friend and she, above all, knows my true feelings even though how many times I deny it. But I must be alarmed that Ella is just a girl who suits him very well. It’s not hard to fall in love with the girl almost adored by everyone. What am I compared to Ella? I’m just a thorn on the rose’s stem.

Tomorrow would be the last day of their camp and it got me very excited but what really enthuses me are the last words she spoke before hanging up.

“Life is unpredictable, Hebe. Even the impossible could happen.”

What does she mean? And my curiosity was even provoked when this mystery text mate sent another SMS.

“You can do anything as long as you believe. Good night.” With a smiley at the end. Could Ella be playing with me? Is this just one of her dirty schemes to make fun of me?

 I was in the middle of searching up for her number to call her when suddenly a message flashed on my LCD. It’s the same unregistered number again I named ‘enemy’. For whatever reason, don’t ask why, I just feel doing it.

“By the way, this is Aaron.” Am I reading the text correctly or I’m just hallucinating and imagining things here? I rubbed my eyes, once, twice, thrice.

My heart, I can feel it hammer against my chest. My jaw, I can feel it dropping down widely. My stomach, I can feel the butterflies flying around like crazy. My fingers are melting, my knees tremble. My phone loosened its way out of my hand, good thing I recovered immediately. And not another moment later, I begun scrolling down my contacts and called my best friend’s number.

“Ella! Oh my gosh!” I gasped after three consecutive ringing.

“You won’t believe what just happened. Remember the stranger I was telling you about? The one who kept on texting me goodnights and a few quotes? It was him. It was him all along!” I fervently informed her not minding the silence over the other line.

“I can’t believe it was Aaron. You were right about the things you’ve said about him El. Even if it was all just through text, I can still feel his care. Maybe you’ll call me stupid or even corny but his words... it was over-whelming.” I paused for a while.

“El? Are you still there?” Then I heard a soft chuckle on the end of the line so I assumed she was still up.

“Anyway, Fine! You were right. I like him and I really do. But what am I compared to the other girls who crave for his attention. Maybe if he’ll find out about my true feelings, he would just laugh at me.” I added with a tone of depression at the end of my speech.

“Do you think I should really tell him how much I like him?” She didn’t answer but only responded a soft groan. It was almost eleven-thirty in the evening. I shouldn’t be disturbing her but I can’t help it. Something urges me to call Aaron or just even text him. But something in me holds me back, maybe it’s the logical side of me.

“El, I don’t know but every time I’m depressed, his smile would easily wash all the sorrow away. It’s his voice that I want to hear every now and then. His greetings and laughter, all enough to complete my day. Call me crazy but I think, I have fallen deeply in love to this man who I think, doesn’t even know my existence.”

And to my great surprise, it wasn’t the voice I expected to hear. It was rather... masculine.

“W-who is... this?”

“Well, this is surely not Ella.” He giggled.

“But please don’t hang up.” As if he had guessed what I was about to do next. I tried to remember this voice. He sounds familiar, awkwardly and creepily familiar.

“I think you should tell him about your feelings because I know he feels the same.”

“And how can you say that?”

“It’s because I know myself too well.”

---

Suddenly, I felt a pair of warm hands cover my eyes.

“Guess who.” He whispered.

I brushed off his hands and appeared before me is a man of six feet tall in a pair of jeans and hoodies. He turned to carry my books as he took the umbrella from my hands. And as his eyes landed on mine, I remember it well, the first night we’ve spent talking over the phone until dawn, the very night I confessed my love for him.

This is the first time we’ve seen each other after that little incident but there was no summer night passed that he failed to contact me.

And as we walk our way to our classrooms with a thousand pairs of glaring eyes to embarrass me, this memory continues to linger along with the incessant pouring of the rain. I came to realize one thing...

This is gonna be a long school-year.